"Suit & Tie" [ft. Jay-Z]

Sony

Artists:

On 2006's FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake looked forward in time to imagine what dance music in, say, 2013 might sound like. In actual 2013, he is looking backwards-- deep into the 1970s, in fact-- to reimagine old sounds and styles. While not quite as risky as "SexyBack" or as rewarding as "My Love", "Suit & Tie" is still one hell of a wedding reception jam, as bubbly as champagne. Timbaland creates a smooth beat out of a marimba roll and harp glissando that Marvin Gaye must have left on the cutting-room floor, and Timberlake rides it with that fluid, effortless falsetto. "Let me show you a few things," he sings by way of seduction. Because it’s a song called "Suit & Tie", Jay-Z is on here, delivering the obligatory rapped verse like he's crashed a wedding. It's another in a string of uninspired cameos by Hova but even he can’t sink the song’s slinky vibe. Much like the sartorial combination of the title, this song is smartly modular-- mix-and-matchable, even-- with each section clearly marked by hard tempo changes.